1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet material conveying apparatus and a recording apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a technique in which rigidity of frames of such apparatuses is enhanced.
2. Related Background Art
In recording apparatuses having a printer function, a copying function and a facsimile function or recording apparatuses used as an output equipment for a composite electronic equipment including a computer or a word processor and for a work station, a sheet material (recording medium) such as a paper sheet or a plastic thin plate is conveyed by a sheet material conveying apparatus in response to image information, and an image is recorded on the sheet material by a recording means.
The recording apparatuses can be grouped into an ink jet type, a wire dot type, a thermal type and a laser beam type, in dependence upon a recording system of the recording means.
Generally, in recording apparatuses of serial type in which a serial scan system effecting main scan in a direction substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction (sub-scan direction) of the sheet material is used, after the sheet material is set at a predetermined recording position, an image having a predetermined width in the main scan direction is recorded on the sheet material by shifting a carriage on which a recording head (recording means) is mounted over the sheet material.
After one-line recording is finished, a predetermined amount of sheet feed (pitch conveyance) is effected, and thereafter, a next line image is recorded again on the sheet material which is now stopped, in the main scan direction.
In recent years, portable computers such as a notebook-type have widely been used. To this end, compact recording apparatuses attaching importance to portable ability have been proposed.
FIG. 58 is a sectional explanatory view showing such a compact recording apparatus of portable serial type.
There is provided a recording head 1011 for effecting recording on a recording medium, and the recording medium (sheet material) P is conveyed by a sheet feed roller 1013 along a sheet material convey path H defined by a sheet supply tray 1016, a lower guide 1014 and an upper guide 1015 to be sent to a recording portion M.
The sheet material on which the recording was effected at the recording portion M is discharged out of the apparatus by a sheet discharge roller 1012.
Normally, when a minimum width of a recording apparatus tries to be designed, a width of a carriage and a width for accelerating carriage scan are added to a width of the sheet material. Thus, the convey path H has a width of 60 to 90% of the width of the recording apparatus.
However, in such a conventional recording apparatus, since the convey path H having the width of 60 to 90% of the width of the recording apparatus forms a tunnel-shaped space in a sheet conveying direction of the apparatus, the apparatus is apt to become weak to an urging force acting from a direction substantially perpendicular to the convey path H.
Accordingly, in consideration of shock during transportation and/or the fact that other devices or books are rested on the compact apparatus, it is desirable that the apparatus has greater rigidity.
Further, such a compact apparatus is designed also in consideration of the portability, and thus, one of important design factors is to reduce a weight of the apparatus as much as possible. Accordingly, if the rigidity of a frame surrounding the convey path H is merely increased, the weight of the apparatus is increased, or if light weight material having great strength is used, the apparatus becomes more expensive. Thus, these problems must be solved with good balance.
That is to say, when a recording apparatus is of stationary type, for example, the rigidity can be enhanced by a method including xe2x80x9cincreasing a thickness of an outer framexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cproviding a double-wall outer framexe2x80x9d; however, in case of the portable recording apparatus, both light weight and compactness are required, such a method cannot be used.
The present invention aims to solve the abovementioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which a weight and cost are reduced as less as possible and which is strong to load and shock by increasing rigidity of a frame forming the apparatus and in which increase in weight is suppressed to improve portable ability.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet material, comprising an outer case formed as a box shape, a convey path for conveying the sheet material within the case, a recording means disposed within the case for recording on the sheet material conveyed by the convey path, opening portions provided in the case and defining a sheet inlet and a sheet outlet of the convey path, and a lid member for closing at least one of the opening portions defining the inlet and outlet, and wherein flexion of the outer case is reduced by closing the opening portion by means of the lid member.
Further, the present invention provides a recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet material, comprising a convey path for conveying the sheet material, first and second cases opposed to each other with the interposition of the convey path and defining a box-shaped outer case, a recording means disposed within the case and adapted to effect recording on the sheet material conveyed by the convey path, opening portions disposed between the first and second cases and defining a sheet inlet and a sheet outlet of the convey path, and a lid member provided for closing at least one of the opening portions defining the inlet and outlet and selectively shiftable between a first position where the lid member is engaged by an engagement portions provided on the first and second cases to maintain a positional relation between the cases and a second position where the lid member is not engaged by the engagement portion of at least one of the cases.